Movie Studios thinking of letting people rent films still in theaters for $50

[Deltron]

Movie studios might let people rent films still in theaters for $50
Movie studios might let people rent films still in theaters for $50

You might soon be able to see a movie on opening night without leaving your couch. According to a report from Variety, top studio executives are considering a partnership with Screening Room, a new service that would give viewers at-home access to movies the same day they're out in theaters. The startup is backed by Napster co-founder and former

Screening Room representatives have recently been pitching the service's "secure anti-piracy technology" to major Hollywood studios like Universal, Fox, and Sony, Variety reports. Its technology could be appealing to studios as a way to combat, or preempt, online leaks of movies still in theaters. Still, studios are reportedly hesitant to jump aboard, for several reasons. Screening Room reportedly wants to be the studios' exclusive content partner, which might be a roadblock for studios who normally make their movies available on several platforms. The studios are also not thrilled at the prospect of eclipsing the time between theatrical and home release, which would put them in a strained position with theaters, according to Variety.

The service plans to charge $150 for its set-top box and $50 per movie with a 48-hour window of availability, Variety reports. While $50 per movie might be steep for an individual viewer, in a group setting it would likely be cheaper than going to a theater. Additionally, a $50 movie purchase from Screening Room will also get the customer two free tickets to see the movie at a theater, according to Variety.

Screening Room's talks with the studios are still in the very early stages. Sources have told Variety that Screening Room is close to finalizing a deal with AMC, but for now none of this has been confirmed.

$150 for a set top box and $50 bucks for only 2 days?


Netflix + theater would be better, if they could ever come to an agreement with that.

 

[Jello Biafra]

That plan sounds stupid.

An exclusive opening 2 week to 1 month run in movie theaters and then making the movies available for home viewing could possibly work.
The main objective has to be creating a business model that does not completely kill the movie theater business.

 

[45123]

Netflix + theater would be better

 

[TKOK]

No fukking way i'm paying more than say $20 on this.

 

[fact]

we would be eating so good, though

 

[Kaydigi]

Remember this when Transformers 1 was about to drop

 

[CACarot]

I understand why it's $50 bucks, its essentially a payperview for movies and if you get a party going you can get the movie for less than ticket price or free. But I'm trying to picture how this would not handicap the the movie industry outside of the movie itself. Movie theaters would lose revenue from lack of concession and movie ticket sales. Coming attraction trailers may possibly lose there value. You can in theory have 15 people watching a movie at a friend house for only $50 revenue that get's split with the provider. If those 15 people went to the theatre and paid lets say $12 for a ticket you would have earned $180 vs 50.

What I would suggest is if they could somehow they could tie each subscriber to a neighborhood theatre, so with every purchase that theatre gets a small percentage of the potentially lost earnings , to not completely abandon the brick and mortar

 

[chosenaledge13]

Slippery slope, this is essentially a plan to start the process of removing theater attendance for film releases. This hurts my soul as a Director cause its feeling like 10 years from now studios will have a requirement to customize film productions towards the home experience as opposed to the theater first

 

[ORDER_66]

Doesnt Netflix do this for dirt cheap with their own service??? Why not just be able to order the movie on demand why a $150 set top box?!!?!

 

[Kilgore Trout]

There is already something like this out for super rich people and its a lot more expensive than 150.

 

[Ain't That Something]

There is already something like this out for super rich people and its a lot more expensive than 150.

Well guess what most of us ain't fukking super rich people

 

[Kenyan West]

I would like to hear more about their anti piracy technology. What's stopping a breh from just splitting the cost and recording the shyt some how from their living room?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Well guess what most of us ain't fukking super rich people

turn that frown upside down

 

[Pinyapplesuckas]

I'm all for it. I'm not gonna spend a cent to view any of these movies but I know they will hit the net early as fukk so let it happen

 

[ℒℴѵℯJay ELECTUA]

For birthday's would be cool.

Will defo get the new planet of the apes movie to watch with @Jahmal and our pet @Mowgli bubble gum lips son.